Ergocornine

Treatment for ergotism consists of vasodilators, anticoagulants and low molecular weight dextrans. If necessary, a sympathetic nerve blockade may be carried out, such as brachial plexus blockade. Temporary sedation (e.g. haloperidol) will be necessary in hallucination and diazepam is used for convulsions. There is no specific antidote. (L1921)

Ergoline alkaloids tend to act as a group, producing complex and variable effects of partial agonism or antagonism at adrenergic, dopaminergic, and serotonergic receptors. Variables relating to these effects are influenced by the agent, dosage, species, tissue, physiological, and endocrinological state, and experimental conditions. In particular, ergoline alkaloids have been shown to have the significant affinity towards the 5-HT1 and 5-HT2 serotonin receptors, D1 and D2 dopamine receptors, and alpha-adrenergic receptors. This can result in a number of different effects, including vasoconstriction, convulsions, and hallucinations. Ergometrine is also known to have a non-receptor specific oxytocic activity. (A2914, A2915, A2916)

Convulsive ergotism can cause painful seizures and spasms, diarrhea, paresthesias, itching, headaches, nausea and vomiting. Usually the gastrointestinal effects precede the central nervous system effects. As well as seizures there can be hallucinations and mental effects including mania or psychosis. Gangrenous ergotism causes dry gangrene as a result of vasoconstriction induced in the more poorly vascularized distal structures, such as the fingers and toes. Symptoms include desquamation, weak periphery pulse, loss of peripheral sensation, edema and ultimately the death and loss of affected tissues. (L1920)

Ergocornine is an alkaloid of the ergoline family. Like other ergoline alkaloids, it occurs in various species of vines of the Convolvulaceae (morning glory) family and in some species of lower fungi. Ergocornine is one of 3 similar peptides referred to as ergotoxine alkaloids, the other two being ergocryptine and ergocristine. Ergotoxines prepared into their hihydroergotoxine mesylates, commonly known as ergoloid mesylates, are used in the symptomatic therapy of age-related dementia. (L1918, A2915)